The continuous casting of metals is well known. A known process of continuous casting includes the steps of; pouring molten metal into one end of a sleeve type mold, solidifying a shell of the casting in the mold, and removing that solidified shell through the other end of the sleeve. The solidified metal is ordinarily pulled out of the sleeve mold by rolls. One of the problems which is common to continuous casting of metals into a continuous elongated bar is the rupture of the solidified shell of the casting so that the molten metal from the interior of the casting flows out. Such a rupture prior to solidification of the metal within the shell results in a disruption of the entire continuous casting process. Various means have been designed to prevent rupture of the shell of the casting while the shell has a low tensile strength. These various means recognize the problem of frictional resistance of the casting against the mold as the shell progresses through the mold which, in some instances, causes rupture of the shell.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,135,183 to Junghans, 2,815,551 to Hessenberg et al, 3,025,579 to Littlewood, 3,040,397 to Haussner et al., 3,088,181 to Littlewood et al., 3,118,195 to Gouzou et al., 3,258,815 to Reinfeld, and 3,307,230 to Goss all teach axial movement of the mold relative to the casting in a continuous casting process. Each patent teaches an individual program sequence of axial movements induced by a suitable control of electrical, hydraulic or other means.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,397,733 to Gricol teaches vibration of the casting by lateral impact against the cast surface while the casting exits from the mold which is not oscillating axially or laterally.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,565,158 to Ciochetto teaches lateral vibration of the mold wall to improve metallurgical properties of the casting.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,415,306 to Olsson teaches a nozzle fitted telescopically into a mold sleeve so that molten metal enters the mold while the mold and the casting within it move axially away from the nozzle. The mold is then moved toward the nozzle while a flat end portion of the nozzle is abutted directly against the solidified shell of the casting to urge compressively the casting to move axially toward the exit end of the mold.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,612,157 to Brock teaches a casting sleeve oscillated axially within an outer cooling water jacket. Means are provided by Brock for applying gas pressure against the top surface of the liquid metal in the mold and surrounding the immersed end of the nozzle, thus controlling flow of liquid metal into the mold.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,110 to Honda et al teaches an apparatus for connecting a tundisn to a mold for horizontal continuous casting.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,528,485 to Vogel shows a mold in two halves separated by an axial plane and held firmly together during the casting operation. The halves are separated to allow the trailing end of the finished casting to pass through the mold with minimum friction and thus avoid containment of remnants of the cast shell within the mold following completion of the casting operation.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,075,264; 3,483,918; 3,528,487; and 3,672,436 to Wognum teach multiple longitudinal sections of water cooled bars, each bar mitered to fit tightly against the adjacent bar and thus form a longitudinal mold cavity for casting of molten metals and alloys. Wognum provides drive mechanisms to impart axial and transverse movements to each of the sections in phased relationship to cause a casting to be propelled through the mold without external withdrawing means and without frictional resistance, thus minimizing rupture of the low strength shell of the casting during solidification.